Sports

Lindsey Vonn Sports Illustrated Cover Sparks Predictable Outrage

by Jordan Yerman | February 5, 2010 at 10:02 am

3519 views | 1 Recommendation | 1 comment

The Lindsey Vonn Sports Illustrated cover has sparked outrage from those who say that Lindsey Vonn is presented as a sex object. The Sports Illustrated cover depicts Lindsey Vonn in an exaggerated downhill ski stance.

It's actually quite rare for a woman to make the Sports Illustrated cover, swimsuit issues notwithstanding, so the Lindsey Vonn Sports Illustrated cover is noteworthy just for featuring her, and will create a bit of media buzz around a non-Shaun-White member of the US Olympic team.

The pose at least resembles the tuck stance skiers like Vonn take when barrelling down the hill. It's exaggerated, of course, but not gratuitously so. It's not as if SI put her in a bikini in a Whistler hot tub.

Dr. Nicole LaVoi disagrees:

When females are featured on the cover of SI, they are more likely than not to be in sexualized poses and not in action–and the most recent Vonn cover is no exception.

However, those familiar with skiing will note that Lindsey Vonn is indeed depicted in action, at least in a photo shoot sense. By comparison, two out of three of Michael Phelps' SI covers do not depict him swimming.

To be honest, and maybe because I'm into skiing/snowboarding, the Lindsey Vonn cover didn't strike me as sexual at all. When riding, you see people in this position all the time.

Also check out the rest of our Vancouver 2010 Olympic coverage.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

tim thomas (not verified)

at 08:30 on February 6th, 2010

However, one of the Michael Phelps covers practically shows the "treasure trail". Clearly sexualized. I think it has to do with the fact that SI attempts to create profile for the Olympic sports, in which case the majority of athletes are not household names. As opposed to an action shot, the "staged shots" create profile and facial recognition on newsstands.